By Jeff West

SDN Staff Writer

It’s official. There is no fee for booking a city dump truck or trailer for cleanups, new houses have to meet new open area requirements and the city won’t allow the closing of a railroad crossing at 25th Street after the Snyder city council met Monday night.

Those items had all been discussed previously and the first two approved on initial readings. With the second reading and approval the two ordinances were adopted. Council member Ron Shaw suggested that the rule limiting city residents to one free trip a month should be changed, but no action could be taken at this meeting.

City residents can obtain use a trailer or dump truck by calling the city and reserving it on a first-come, first-serve basis, said City Manger John Gayle.

The new building ordinance states that only 75 percent of a property’s area can be built on. The buildable area is limited by set-back requirements and off-street parking requirements.

Several residents spoke against closing the railroad crossing at 25th Street. BNSF officials had asked that it be closed and even offered the city $25,000 if it would agree. Officials contend that the unguarded crossing is a danger and unnecessary since there are crossings on the streets on either side.

Resident Robert McCarter said a lot of traffic goes through that crossing, and if it were closed, motorists might cut through Skinny’s parking lot on 26th to try and beat train. McCarter said he also talked to a resident on that street who drove a 18-wheeler who would have difficulty getting out every morning if the street were closed.

Another speaker suggested closing the 26th Street crossing instead since there are fewer homes and people prefer to use 25th since there are fewer stop signs on the way to Ave. E.

The council decided to take no action, which would leave the crossing open. After other items were acted on council member Stephanie Ducheneaux asked to speak on the crossing issue.

“I just have to say this, my father worked for the railroad for 30 years, so I look at crossing a little differently. I looked at the 25th street crossing and the railroad is right, that is a blind crossing, you have to stop and look to see if a train is coming. I know no one else wants to do anything but I think that is a dangerous crossing.”

“No one has ever died in an accident there,” Shaw said.

Ducheneaux replied, “I hope someone doesn’t have to die before we take action.”

The council still took no action, worried that motorists might rush to other crossing to try and beat a train.

While there was little formal discussion about a motion to freeze property tax rates for senior citizens and the handicapped, a motion to once again table the issue was divided with councilmen David Harrell and Terry Martin voting against tabling the issue.

The council approved two bids for road construction material and a bid for water meters. Only one bid, from Alon USA, for asphalt was received at $200 a ton if the city picks it up. Jones Brothers of Odessa was awarded the bid for aggregate at $23.50 a ton for a total cost of $37,600 and Badger Meters Inc. of Milwaukee won the bid for 320 water meters at a cost of $9,659.

Over the objections of Shaw, the council approved placing a stop sign at Crescent and Eastridge. Ducheneaux requested it, telling the council that a number of children play in the neighborhood and traffic does not slow down there. Shaw said that state law dictated people stop at a “T” intersection and opposed a sign. The rest of the council disagreed.

Juvenile probation director Sy Tabor discussed the STAR program and especially the boot camp program. Council members noted that numbers at the boot camp seemed to be down and Tabor said that is due in part to a new philosophy by some of the judges as to who should be sent to the camp. While referrals from the courts are down, voluntary placement by parents are on the rise, he said.

The council also approved specifications for health insurance bids and okayed several interlocal agreements concerning emergency management.

Mayor Francene Noah presided and all council members were present.